The NBA's ongoing commitment to dumping cold water on itself to raise awareness of and money for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, continues apace. After a slew of players and coaches, including multiple members of Team USA, participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge last week, they were joined by several well-known stragglers over the weekend, including a certain four-time NBA Most Valuable Player with whom you might be familiar.

(If you've somehow managed to avoid the videos to this point, the challenge is a viral video-based campaign dreamed up by the ALS Association to bolster fundraising efforts during the waning days of summer. The process is simple: start recording video, have someone pour a bucket of ice water over your head or pour one on yourself, and then ask a few people to do the same thing within the next 24 hours or to donate money to the charity. The campaign has been a monstrous success, with the ALS Association reporting Sunday that there have been "about 260,000 new donors" responsible for "$13.3 million in donations since July 29, compared with $1.7 million during the same period last year, according to the New York Times.)

After being challenged to participate by reigning MVP Kevin Durant, LeBron James bit the bullett and faced the bucket this weekend:

Like Team USA before him, the Cleveland Cavaliers forward nominated President Barack Obama to participate in the challenge. I once again regret to inform an NBA superstar that the president has already been challenged and declined to dump a bucket of ice water on his head, though he reportedly did donate to the ALSA. LeBron also nominated his two sons, which seems especially cold (WRITING) since he can tell them that he's not going to let them have a hundred bucks each to make a donation. Game's rigged, man.

While I don't expect the president to get wet, another one of Team USA's targets accepted the challenge, as predicted in this very space. Take it away, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:

... and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé and Hall of Famer/team advisor Chris Mullin, joined by U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, with the bucket-dumping done by none other than Rudy Gay and, obviously, Rod Stewart:

... and, in a somewhat dismissive yet contextually appropriate way, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who never stops wanting to remind us that he is always working:

If you would like to donate to the ALS Association, you can do so here.